Let candidates emerge from papers, cross-reference 50+ databases, score GRADE tiers, and pool meta-analyses. Wet-lab experiments remain your responsibility.
The pipeline
Search, extract, cross-reference, and score in one conversation. For the full discovery-to-validation path after literature triage, read our blog on biomarker discovery and validation to learn more.
Plain-language input
You do not need to pre-specify biomarker names. Motif searches PubMed, PMC, and Europe PMC, screens on title and abstract, and extracts diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive associations from full text. When hypotheses point toward druggable targets, read our blog on target identification to learn more about the path from literature to therapeutic programs.
Hi Alex, what would you like to explore?
1. BRAF V600E mutation is diagnostic for melanoma vs benign nevi (sensitivity 92%, specificity 88%, case-control n=412)
↓ Supporting Evidence (3)
2. S100B elevation is prognostic for melanoma recurrence in discovery cohort (HR=2.1, n=198) and validation cohort (HR=1.9, n=143)
↓ Supporting Evidence (2)
3. MMP7 overexpression is associated with IPF progression in prospective cohort (HR=1.74, 95% CI: 1.21–2.50, n=256)
↓ Supporting Evidence (2)
Association library
Motif emits structured association sentences with effect sizes, study design, and supporting quotes. Discovery and validation cohorts are tracked as separate associations when papers report independent replication, labeled as "discovery cohort" and "validation cohort" with their own sample sizes.
Cross-referencing
After extraction, Motif cross-references biomedical entities against clinical, genomic, and regulatory sources including UniProt, HGNC, ClinVar, gnomAD, CIViC, ChEMBL, Open Targets, FDA, and more. Results appear in the Cross-Reference tab as per-database field panels, not as boolean chips on each association row.
Cross-reference
BRAF V600E (gene)
Clinical · 3 databases matched
Evidence level: B
Clinical significance: Predictive
Disease: Melanoma
Review status: Expert panel
Classification: Pathogenic
Variant: BRAF p.V600E
Drug: vemurafenib
Indication: BRAF V600E mutant melanoma
Approval: 2011
PD-L1 → pembrolizumab PFS
Hazard ratio · 4 studies · N=1,842
Pooled evidence
When enough studies report comparable effect sizes, Motif pools estimates with forest and funnel plots, RoB-2 coloring per study, and a pooled GRADE certainty rating distinct from per-association scoring. Download the full workbook (.xlsx) with the GRADE sheet. Read our blog on how AI is revolutionizing biomarker discovery to learn more.
Grant-ready outputs
Export per pipeline: articles, associations, cross-references, meta-analyses, your report, and search provenance, or download a Word manuscript with APA 7 or Vancouver citations. Use the export to brief wet-lab teams; Motif does not run assays or file regulatory submissions.
Choose a format to export your research results
What Motif covers in candidate discovery vs what stays in the lab
Motif searches PubMed, PMC, and Europe PMC, extracts structured biomarker associations from full text, cross-references biomedical entities against 50+ databases, scores each association with a GRADE-adapted certainty tier, and can pool meta-analyses when at least three comparable studies exist. Biomarker candidates emerge from the literature rather than a pre-loaded list.
No. Analytical validation (assay precision, sensitivity, specificity) and clinical validation (patient outcomes, utility) happen in your lab and trials. Motif surfaces published evidence, including discovery vs validation cohort reporting, to inform which candidates merit wet-lab follow-up.
Each association gets a Motif Evidence Certainty score based on study design, sample size, and reporting quality, surfaced as High (≥0.85), Moderate (≥0.60), Low (≥0.35), or Very Low. The help dialog explains the GRADE-adapted methodology. Pooled meta-analyses receive a separate GRADE rating with downgrade reasons in the meta-analysis card.
When a paper reports independent discovery and validation cohorts, Motif extracts them as separate associations: one for the discovery cohort and one for the validation cohort, each with its own sample size and effect size. This lets you compare replication evidence before committing assay development resources.
Meta-analysis runs when at least three studies report comparable effect sizes for the same biomedical entity and outcome context. Motif produces a forest plot, funnel plot, I² and τ² statistics, per-study risk-of-bias coloring, and a pooled GRADE certainty rating. Export the full workbook (.xlsx) for your records.
Motif screens on title and abstract before reading full text. Paywalled PDFs without open access may not be retrievable. Cross-reference coverage depends on database availability for each biomedical entity. Scope depends on your plan: Starter searches up to 5 papers per query, Pro up to 40. Researchers should verify key findings in the source papers before validation investments.
Join researchers using Motif to find and score biomarker evidence from published literature.